Notes: Audiocodes notes they are in the process of obtaining Lync Qualified status for Audiocodes 420HD but at the moment it is not certified the 420HD has become Lync Qualified on Sept ember 2013. (click here) Since this is a new Lync device (review done using FW 2.0.1.44.5) some features are currently not implemented that will be on final product.

Pros

Overall good design for common area or entry level voice centric IP phone

Nice, large, quality feeling, rubberized buttons

I like the “Silent” button on incoming call

Each number button can be easily assigned a speed dial via a nice phone user interface

Lync functionality is, at the moment, new so has some Lync features not implemented

Call Park

Lync Contact List

Safe transfer

The Audiocodes 420HD seems to me to be a well designed common area and entry level desk phone that can register to Lync and SIP servers. (At the moment the 420HD is not Lync certified) It appears to me that Audiocodes 4xxHD series is designed to be well tuned to the needs of the “PBX experience user”. I think it is good to see Audiocodes planning to join snom and Polycom in the Lync Qualified devices market.

Below is my video review of the Logitech H650e USB headset that is Lync Optimized.

Logitech has a new focus on enterprise devices branded as “Logitech for Business” and the Logitech USB Headset Stereo H650e is one of the devices in the line up. (Some others: the Logitech c930e)

Below is a picture of the headset. The H650e is a well built headset that has all the standard features you expect from a stereo USB headset. It does stereo, wideband audio, has acoustic echo cancelation and noise cancelling mic.

I would point out the unique flat tangle resistant USB cord.

The controls for the 650e are on the cord and include: Mute, Pickup/Hang-up, Up and down volume. A nice touch is that you can feel the Up volume versus the Down volume by the raised plus button.

The volume has 25 settings. Top and bottom of range is indicated by a “double beep” and position in range is audibly indicated through the headset.

To visually set or see the audio, click on Windows Speaker tray icon during a call.

The Pickup/Hang-up button has a white indicator light and mute has a red light.

The H650e has a flexible microphone boom that has a rubberized feel. As you will note in the picture above and below, the USB cord is well protected for daily use by “bend protectors” at the plug, controller and entry into the headset, which seems like a very good design to me.

The H650e has a red light to indicate that headset wearer is on a call. This is viewable from behind.

Other stuff in the box: getting Started guide, storage/protector pouch and clip to fasten cord.

The H650e is a Stereo headset so if you want stereo sound delivered when it is available, go into Lync Options | Audio Device and check “Stereo audio playback”. (some premium Lync Optimized device willl create actual stereo sound. examples: Lync Room Systems, the Logitech c930e and some other devices)

Some Notes

There is also a mono version of the H650e. Also there is a DECT wireless version call the Logitech Wireless Headset Dual H820e. (review coming soon)

Summary

Pros

Stereo, Wide Band audio that sounds great to me

Tangle resistant USB cord is a nice touch

Well protected USB cord looks designed for “Business” everyday use

Lync Optimized

Cons

at higher volumes I notice a very slight crackle in the feedback audio

My experience with the H650e is that is just works and provides excellent headset quality and experience at a quite reasonable price. When combined with the Logitech c930e you get an audio/video experience with technical specs that, at the moment, are hard to match from another single vendor. If you are a “Plantronics shop”, Logitech for Business is giving some very real reasons to look at alternatives.

I was just alerted to the fact that there is a new Lync Survivable Branch option called the “Resilient Branch Appliance” or RBA. The RBA brings branch survivability via 3G/4G wireless mobile broadband to keep the signaling and data layers operational during WAN outage.

From my quick reading it appears that 3G/4G keeps signaling, presence, address book and web conferencing going during an outage of WAN. Voice is handled via PSTN breakout.

According to a recent video created by snom, it appears that snom UC Edition (Lync Qualified) will get another new feature: centralized phone setting provisioning. The video references (but not necessarily limited to) the below settings:

Language settings

Key assignments

Phone user interface customization

The video does not elaborate but considering it notes that “all you need to do is type in your login credentials” it would almost sound like this will somehow leverage native Lync Server functionality.

This is a quite interesting development considering that even Lync Phone Edition devices currently have no way of mass provisioning device and user settings centrally.

Lync Ideascale is a community based forum started in 2008 to give everyone a way to give quick, structured, informal (Microsoft does not support this community in any way) feedback on the Microsoft Lync product. (actually I started this forum to create an organized way to store my list of wishes, but it quickly became more than that). Since then it has grown to over 350 contributors, 132 ideas and over 13,000 votes. As with other Lync efforts I’ve initiated, this one has grown way beyond what I initially expected.

While started to make a list of “wishes” Lync.ideascale has become much much more valuable in three ways:

You can quickly check if you are overlooking a feature, or if indeed it is missing

In idea comments there is often a work around for missing feature

Microsoft has addressed several of the TOP voted items

Below are some quick statistics to give you an idea what is happening at Lync.Ideascale:

Finally, thanks for you contribution on Lync.Ideascale…It has grown way above my initial expectation due to your help! And thanks for all your contributions to the Lync Community generally, Microsoft Lync is buzzing online because of it.

Followers

About Me

Matthew M. Landis has various industry certifications: Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, Microsoft Certified Database Administrator, Microsoft Office Certified Expert, Microsoft Certified Dynamics, Network+ and A+.
In 1995 Matt started Landis Computer which has been providing IT services to small businesses for 14 years and is now a 11 person Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. Matt has over 14 years of field experience implementing Windows Server, Microsoft & Dynamics ERP solutions in small business environments.
Matt is very active in the Windows based IP PBX community: He was a 3CX Valued Professional from 2008-2010 and has co-authored a book on Windows communication software "3CX IP PBX Tutorial". He is pbxnsip Certified, he has contributed thousands of posts to the 3CX community forum and he writes the monthly Windows PBX Report e-newsletter for VARS and administrators. His company, Landis Computer, was the first company in the USA to be designated a 3CX Premium Partner.
When not working and when a chance affords Matt likes to travel internationally with his wife Rosalyn and is very involved in his church.